Sagicor University of the West Indies (UWI) are the champions of the Malcolm Marshall Twenty/20 Cricket Festival.
The festival, in its second year and first since 2005, is held in honour of the late Barbados and West Indies fast- bowling great, who died in 1999 of colon cancer.
Among the excited crowd who witnessed a day where rain played a major role was Marshall’s widow Connie.
Playing yesterday in the final at the Desmond Haynes Oval, UWI crushed fellow first-timers ICBL Empire by 20 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Chasing 137 for victory, UWI had reached 83 without loss from 11 overs when poor lighting conditions ended play at 5:56 p.m., despite the presence of four sets of portable lights.
Chad Walton and Romel Currency shared their second electrifying unbroken half-century stand for the day to spur UWI to the comprehensive win.
Walton smashed 50, spiced with five fours and one six off 35 deliveries. Captain Currency cashed in with a run-a-ball 31, including three fours.
The right-handed pair gained valuable practice for the Caribbean Twenty/20 which will be played in Antigua and Barbados from January 9 to 22 where they will represent Combined Campuses & Colleges.
Earlier, Empire reached 136 for eight from their 20 overs after taking first knock. Jason Haynes and Jason Parris put on 46 for the second wicket in 40 balls.
Parris made 16 but was bowled by West Indies Under-19 fast-medium all-rounder Kyle Mayers in the ninth over. Haynes struck 31 from 27 balls, including two sixes and one four before he was run out at the keeper’s end looking for a second run.
Ryan Hinds and Alcindo Holder sustained the tempo, adding a fourth-wicket stand of 39 in 29 deliveries, as Empire amassed 80 runs from the last ten overs.
Hinds’ 33 contained three fours and a huge six over midwicket from 27 balls. Jamaican medium-pacer Herman Henry claimed two for 17.
Sagicor UWI advanced to the final with a comprehensive ten-wicket win over Lee Bistro All Saints, under the Duckworth/Lewis method over in the opening match.
ICBL Empire defeated G Spot X1 by seven wickets, also under the D/L method in the second game to set up the day/night clash.
Summarized scores:
Final: ICBL Empire 136-8 in 20 overs (R. Hinds 33, J. Haynes 31, J. Parris 16, A. Holder 10; H. Henry 2-17). Sagicor UWI 83-0 in 11 overs (Chadwick Walton 50 n.o., R. Currency 31 n.o). UWI won by 20 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Match 1: Lee Bistro All Saints 69-5 in 15 overs (J. Doughlin 22, A. Payne 19 n.o.; R. Austin 2-4). Sagicor UWI 66-0 in 6.2 overs (C. Walton 38 n.o., R. Currency 22 n.o.).UWI won by ten wickets under the D/L System. Target was revised to 62 from 13 overs.
Match 2: G Spot X1 123-8 in 18 overs (D. Smith 28, C. Morris 27, A. Nurse 24 n.o.; J. Bernadin 2-21, A. Holder 2-21). ICBL Empire 83-3 in 12 overs (R. Hinds 30, J. Parris 17, K. Stoute 13, J. Haynes 11 n.o.; D. Smith 2-30). Empire won by seven wickets under D/L System. Target was revised to 83 from 12 overs.
